


A New Life, Above Ground

by catzdoe



Series: A New Life, Above Ground [1]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Brotherhood of Steel - Freeform, Fallout 4 - Freeform, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Part 1, commonwealth of massachusetts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-04-04
Packaged: 2018-09-18 08:54:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9377549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catzdoe/pseuds/catzdoe
Summary: Orin, or 0R-1N, was one of the lucky few that escaped the Institute when the Brotherhood of Steel rigged it to explode.  After being rescued by a mysterious stranger, she finds herself in Goodneighbor.  Setting out on an adventure across the Commonwealth to find and thank this stranger for saving her, Orin also comes across a Radscorpion and some beloved Brotherhood Soldiers in a life she was never prepared for but embraces with all her heart.





	1. It's All Over but the Crying

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments and reviews! Suggestions are greatly appreciated and give me inspiration to continue writing. Let me know if you liked it while I begin the writing of Part 2!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin's life in the Institute comes to an abrupt end.

Orin remembered the day she was created.  Even though it had already been a few years, she remembers it like yesterday.  

On that fateful day, she remembers blinking for a moment and looking at the clean, white lab that surrounded her.

"Designation 0R-1N," said a scientist, "You are now a part of the Institute.  You are a synth.  You will follow our orders with no hesitation."

She was assigned to the Medic Bay with Doctor Volkert.  There, she learned about the different drugs on both the surface and in the Institute and how to treat minor wounds.  It was there she quickly discovered the existence and purpose of a Courser, a synth designed to work on the surface.  That was the day that she began her interest in the world above.

Summoning up whatever courage she could find, she went into the SRB and spoke to Director Ayo.

"Coursers are pre-programmed synths," he explained in a course tone.  "You can never be one.  Get back to your assignment, unit."

Orin's dreams were crushed in her face.  Crushed and burned right in front of her.  She went back to her assignment, but not without moping around for a while.

One day, a scientist from Robotics came to get a few stitches from a run-in with one of the synth-producing machines.  Orin treated the wound.

"Hey, are you 0R-1N?"  The scientist suddenly asked.

"Yes, sir."  She replied in a monotone voice.

"Ayo said you were the one who wanted to be a Courser."  The scientist said.

Orin suddenly felt embarrassed.  "Yes, sir.  I'm sorry, sir, it was irresponsible and selfish of me to assume I could become a Courser."

"No, no, I think it's quite... Interesting that you asked that."  The scientist spoke in a kind tone, and seemed genuinely curious.  "Most other synths are afraid of Coursers, yet you wanted to be one... What is it exactly that interested you?"

"It was the fighting and survival, sir."

The scientist smiled to himself.  "Interesting, interesting..."

A few days after that interaction, Orin found herself re-assigned to Advanced Systems as a weapons-tester.  After that, she found that she enjoyed her life in the Institute a lot more, knowing she could be contributing to the cause with the protection of units and people.  And the scientists in Advanced Systems were actually nice to her and didn't treat her like a robot.

Then came the woman from above.  Father's mother.

She stopped by Advanced Systems to speak to Doctor Li, and although it brought some excitement to the Institute, it also brought uncertainty on what she would hold for the future.  It was well-known from the moment she stepped foot in the Institute that she was with the Brotherhood of Steel, and it was well-known that the Brotherhood of Steel hated anything that didn't agree with them.  Nobody knew what was going to happen.

Nobody knew that the only home they had would be taken away from them.

When the Brotherhood of Steel invaded the Institute, Orin was the only one to escaped Advanced Systems alive, since they came in through the reactor.  She barely made it outside before she found herself avoiding lasers.  She clutched a laser rifle to her chest, scared out of her wits yet ready to shoot anything that moved as she ran up to the top floor to hide.

Then came the evacuation order.

"Evacuation spot, evacuation spot..."  She whispered to herself, trying to stay calm.  Suddenly, a soldier burst into the room, and without hesitating yet with shaky hands, she aimed the rifle at the soldier and pulled the trigger.  The Brotherhood soldier's body crumpled and fell to the floor.

"Clothes."

She quickly changed out of her Institute jumper, putting on the orange uniform, helmet, and backpack.  It would probably be the best way to avoid getting into fights with the Brotherhood as she made her way to her evacuation point, which was the ammo-storage room.  When she got there, she loaded the backpack she had grabbed with cells and plasma grenades.  She thanked the powers above that she knew how to use them.

Orin knew that she wasn't the only synth that was assigned to this evacuation point, but she was the only one there.  There was a heavy feeling that welled up inside her as she realized that most of the other synths were probably... dead.

Without warning, the bright blue light of the teleporter surrounded Orin, and she suddenly found herself on top on a dirty, decrepit building far away from the CIT ruins, but close enough where she could see it.

And suddenly, there was a blinding flash.

The ground shook and hot wind blew wildly as everything Orin had known suddenly came to an end.  But what was this water coming out of her eyes?  She had never experienced emotions like these before, as she collapsed to the ground and sobbed loudly.  Her friends, the scientists, all the innocent people that were still in the Institute, gone.

It was all over, but the crying.


	2. Of the People, For the People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin finds herself in Goodneighbor... with no idea of how she got there. And she meets her very first ghoul.

Orin didn't know how long she stood there, staring at the smoking crater that used to be her home.  It was only until she felt a headache start did she decide to get moving.

Only a few things were on her mind as she wandered.  All those innocent people in the Institute, all the innocent people killed, all the lives lost.  And now the fact that she was homeless and had absolutely no idea what to do next.  She didn't know the lay of the land.  She didn't know what dangers were out here.  Orin knew nothing.  All she did know was if she didn't find someplace safe, she would die out here, afraid and alone.

The headache was getting worse.  She was getting dizzy and nauseous.  Orin stumbled pass some yellow barrels, and her vision became blurry.

She doesn't remember much of what happened next, only snippets.  The last thing she did remember was fainting on the spot.

"...wearing...hood uniform..."

Voices faded in and out.

"...neighbor..."

Then she felt something pick her up.

"...Steel tags..."

There was more talking.

"...Thanks, Amari..."

"...can't just...kill..."

And some arguing.

"...Shut up... leave..."

Orin didn't know how much time had passed when she came to, but she found herself on a soft couch in a room filled with white, fluorescent light.  She squinted for a moment before her eyes adjusted, and she sat up to take a look around.  It was a room filled with machines and two odd looking pods.  Medicine and drugs were strewn about everywhere.  A woman wearing a lab coat and with her black hair in a bun was typing away at a terminal.

"Ah, you've come to."  She said, glancing over for a moment before continuing to type at her computer.

"Where... Am I?"

"You're in Goodneighbor."  She said, finishing whatever she was doing on the computer.  "I'm Doctor Amari."

"What happened to me?"  Orin asked softly.

"You had taken on too many rads and fainted... Somebody found you and brought you here."  Doctor Amari explained. 

"Who's 'somebody?'"  Orin asked, standing.  She stumbled a bit, but caught herself on one of those odd pods.

"Hey, slow down."  Amari said, reaching out to help steady Orin.  "Radiation poisoning isn't something you get over easily."

"I'm fine, I'm fine."  Orin took a deep breath and stood up straight.  "What... is this place?"

"We're underneath the Memory Den."

"What's the Memory Den?"

"The Memory Den is a place people can come to to relive their memories."  Amari explained.  "They do so in a pod like this one."

Orin gazed at the odd, egg-shaped pod.  She had never seen anything like it before, at least, in the Institute.  It was an interesting device.

"Amari!" Came another female voice from above.  "You've got a special visitor!"

"Yes, coming!"

Amari quickly left the room, and Orin followed.  Up the wooden stairs and out the door.

There was another woman in an ornate and feathery robe lying on a red, velvet couch.  She was speaking with a man unlike any Orin had ever seen before.

His skin was wrinkled and looked burned, with no nose and completely black eyes.  His voice was scratchy and not a strand of hair existed on his body.  He was wearing a worn black hat with three points to it and a collared, red cloak with some white ruffles.  He also wore black pants and matching boots.  A lit cigarette was resting between his fingers.

"Ah, is this the new girl in town?"  He said, outstretching his arms towards Orin.  She was stunned; how could somebody look like that yet still be alive?

"Welcome to Goodneighbor, where we're of the people, for the people, you feel me?"  He said with a bright smile.  "Name's John Hancock, mayor.  Nice to meet you."

He offered his hand and Orin took it.  "Nice to meet you too."  She had no idea what to think.  "I'm... Orin."  She had paused for a moment and realized that it was the first time she was introducing herself without her designation.  Orin was the name assigned to her should she ever have to go to the surface.

"Well, Orin, glad to see you're up and about.  You looked like shit when you came in yesterday."  Hancock took a puff of his cigarette.

"Wait, I came in here yesterday?"  Orin asked, looking at Amari.

"Yes.  I would have told you that, but Mayor Hancock paid us a visit."  She said in a "there-was-nothing-I-could-do-about-it" tone.

"Sorry Doc, but I wanted to talk to the new girl."  Mayor Hancock shrugged.  He turned to Orin.  "Why don't you get familiar around town first and stop by the Old State House once you've gotten the once over, huh?  I've got some spare caps and... bonus points for you.  Prove your worth, you know?  I'll be looking forward to seeing you."

And with a wave, he left.

"Orin, let's talk in the basement."   Amari said, heading back downstairs.

Orin followed the doctor back down with a lot more questions than she had coming up those stairs.

"Before you start asking questions, I'm going to tell you something,"  Amari started.  "You'll be surprised, but remain calm.

"I know you're a synth."

Orin's eyes widened and for a moment she had to take a seat on the couch.  How did Amari know she was a synth?

"No, no questions yet.  Just listen."  Said Amari as she held up a finger. Then she began to explain.  "When the... Railroad was still active, I was the one they came to to aid with erasing the memories of synths.  I'm familiar with one.  Each synth had a little indentation on the back of their neck that goes by unnoticed by almost everybody they come across.  But that's where their synth component is.  That's where your synth component is."

Orin reached to the back of her neck, and sure enough, there was a small, fingertip-sized indentation.

"So you knew the whole time?"  She asked slowly.

Amari nodded.  "But don't worry, I haven't told anybody.  Not even the mayor."

Orin sighed small breath of relief, but she couldn't help but wonder what else Amari knew.

"Alright, go ahead."  Amari plopped in a chair, crossing her legs.  "Start the questions."

Orin found out that Mayor Hancock was a ghoul, created by radiation, and that there were two kinds: human and feral.  Human ghouls were the ones who just looked burned and damaged.  Feral ghouls were tattered, deformed messes, rotting away from radiation.  Apparently, Orin would know when she saw one.  She also learned that bottle caps, or caps for short, was the currency up here.  Goodneighbor has two stores, the Memory Den, the Rexford Hotel, and the Third Rail, and was known for being home to outcasts.  There was a chance that there was another synth living here, at least.

Orin and Amari talked for hours.  When Orin started getting tired, she was offered one of their beds just for the night.

"Oh, and before I forget."  Amari handed Orin her laser rifle and a plastic box of things that she had been carrying when she escaped the Institute.  "These are your things."

"Thank you."  Orin said, taking them.  After Amari left, she went through them and found that there were a few extra stimpaks and some extra laser cells.

She lied down on the dingy yet comfortable mattress, playing with a laser cell in her hand.  Small black letters printed on the yellow cartridge spelled out, "INSTITUTE".  She pondered about what lay ahead of her for the longest time.  

And Orin fell into an uneasy sleep.

 


	3. Good Neighbor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin takes a tour around Goodneighbor and heads to the Old State House, where she does her first job for the mayor. During some free time, she decides to hang out in the Third Rail.

Orin woke up the next morning tired and exhausted.  So much had happened the day before, and as cliche as it sounds, it was all a blur.  Everything blended together.  A hot explosion, fainting, radiation...

She gathered her things and tucked them into the numerous pockets of the Brotherhood uniform, and her rifle was slung across her back.

"Morning."  Amari said, holding a hot cup of coffee between her hands.

"Good morning."  Orin said tiredly.  The Memory Den was practically empty.  There was only one door that was open, and the Silver Shroud radio station was blaring out of it.  "Hey, Doctor Amari, thank you for everything you've done."

"Oh, my pleasure.  I'm glad you're feeling better."  She said, nodding.  "Come back any time if you need anymore treatment."

"I probably will."  Orin said sheepishly.

She left the Memory Den and got her first real look at Goodneighbor.  It was a smelly, dirty town, but there was a sort of community about it.  Many ghouls like Hancock walked around, handing off drugs or heading into a set of steel doors.

"Hey, sister."  Said one of these ghouls as she headed into the Memory Den.

The morning air was cool on Orin's skin as she walked around town, gazing at the Hotel Rexford's bright neon sign and past the doors of the Third Rail, the bar Hancock much have talked about.

Going through a sketchy little alley, Orin found herself at the entrance to Goodneighbor, and next to two very different stores.  One with a very intimidating robot standing at the counter and another with a ghoul in a suit.  This ghoul had hair, tied back into a bun.

"Hey, honey, come and get your guns here."  The robot suddenly called.

Orin stepped cautiously into the store.  She had never seen anything like this before.  A robot that was shaped like a human, with four limbs and a torso, but with a robot head and a laser emitter smack in the middle.  It was obviously tough and well-made.

"What'cha lookin' at, honey?  The weapons or the goods?"  She asked.

"What... Who are you?"

"I'm a woman, baby.  Can't you tell?"  She said.  "But, if you must ask, my designation is KL-E-0, fully independent small business owner."

"What do you sell?"  Orin gazed around the small outlet, or shop, or whatever, and saw an ammo bad, a toolbox, a workbench, and a mini-nuke launcher.  Orin had seen one of those before.  It was brought in by a Courser to study in Advanced Systems, but she didn't have the security clearance to access it.  If she remembered correctly, the people up here called it a Fat Man.

"I've got a weapon here for every situation.  Hunting, protection, cold-blooded murder, _hot_ -blooded murder."

Orin felt a shiver go down her spine.  She had an odd feeling that Kleo meant what she was saying, and she believed it fully.  "Well, I'll come to you if I need any problem solving equipment."

"I'm the only one you should come to."  If Kleo could wink, she probably would have.

Orin left _Kill or Be Killed_ a little more uneasy than she had gone in feeling.

"Hey, you the new girl?"

Orin turned towards the rough voice and found herself looking at the shop right next door, _Daisy's Discounts_ , and who she could only assume was the owner.

"Yeah, come here girl."

Orin walked up to the counter, where she got a once over from the ghoul.

"You part of the Brotherhood?"  She suddenly asked.

"Oh, no, no."  Orin quickly shook her head.  "I found this... on a body of a Brotherhood soldier.  I would never be a part of the Brotherhood."

The ghoul nodded.  "Well, we definitely agree on one thing.  I'm Daisy, and this is my Discount shop."

"So... It's just... general things?"

"Yup, you've got it.  You can sell stuff here too, just don't tell me it's a family heirloom," she said with a sigh, "because I'm probably older than whatever it is you're selling."

Orin couldn't help but laugh softly.  "Well, I'll keep that in mind."

She walked off and headed into the Old State House, taking a moment to look at the slightly dusty interior and the broken display cases before wandering up the stairs.  As she passed a pair of guards, she overheard their whispers.

"Hey, did you feel that explosion?"

"Who didn't?"

"It was the Institute.  That's what the Brotherhood is saying."

"You really think so?"

"Well, what else could be that big?"

Orin stepped into a small sitting area, where she saw a red-headed female relaxing and smoking a cigarette on one of the couches.  Various drugs and packs of cigarettes were strewn about the table.

"You that new girl Hancock sent out for?"  The female asked.  She took a puff before tapping the ashes off in the nearby ashtray.  "I don't know why he believes you can do something.  You don't look like you can do anything."

"Well, you can't judge a book by it's cover."  Orin came back quickly.  She may not have come to the world above, but she was a good shot and she was pretty fit.  She made it this far... Even if she was dropped off here by a stranger.

"That's right."

Both of them turned their heads and look at the voice.  Hancock.

"Fahrenheit, give our new guest some room.  She's got yet to prove herself."  Hancock stepped in the room, grabbing a pack of Mentats and helping himself to some of what was inside.  "You up for that job I mentioned earlier?"

Orin nodded.  "I could use some... bottle caps."

Fahrenheit gave her a weird look, but Hancock continued on as normal.  "There's a place... Pickman Gallery, north of here.  Infested with some dumb raiders.  But there's something weird happening over there that's got those Raiders real riled up.  I want you to... Take a look, see what's happening and if you've gotta, put a stop to it."

Orin nodded.  "Okay.  I'll get to the bottom of it."

"Great.  I appreciate it."  Hancock said with a smile and a nod, finishing off his Mentats.  He took a deep, satisfied breath.  "You can head out whenever you're ready."

"Don't fuck this up, now."  Fahrenheit said just as Orin left the room.

She decided that she would head out at night, so for now, she would spend some time in the Third Rail.  With a lack of caps, she couldn't get anything to drink, but it would give her a chance to see what it was about.

She stepped through the steel doors and was greeted by the cool air of the station-turned-bar.  A dapper-looking ghoul in a tuxedo stood at the entrance to the stairs.

"You're that new girl, huh?"  He said, not moving a muscle.  "The Mayor says you're welcome here.  Just don't cause any trouble."

Orin went down the stairs and into the bar, where she was greeted by pleasant jazz music and the not-so-pleasant smell of strong alcohol.  There was a little chatter, but almost everyone was focused on the singer, who's sparkling red dress stood out against the dull colors of the bar itself.

"Oi, mate.  Don't just stand there."

The voice took her by surprise and it took her a moment to realize that it was talking to her.  When she turned to look towards where the voice came from, she found herself looking at a robot with a bowler hat on.  It's three eyes were focused on three different things at once; one on the singer, one on the glass it was cleaning, and one on her.

"Yeah, you mate.  You're blockin' the view.  Buy somethin' or sit your arse down."

"Oh, sorry."  Orin said quickly, taking a seat at the counter.

"You gonna buy somethin'?"  The robot asked her with its heavy cockney accent.

"Sorry, I'm cap-less right now."  Orin said, shaking her head.  "I came here to see what this place was about."

"You that new lackey Mayor Hancock's hired?"

"How does news travel so quickly?"

"Goodneighbor's a small place."

Suddenly, there was clapping and whistling.  "Aw, thanks folks.  I'll be back soon."

She stepped off the stage and slid onto the stool next to Orin.

"Magnificent as always, Magnolia."  Said the robot, handing her a glass of... some cloudy drink.

"Oh, thanks Charlie.  You're too kind."  She turned towards Orin.  "Hey doll, did you like the show?"

Orin nodded.  "Yes.  You're very talented."

"Oh thanks, hon.  Hm... I've never seen you here before..."  Magnolia turned in her stool, crossing one leg over the other.  "Oh, there's something... special about you, isn't there?  Don't tell me, let me guess..."  She stared deeply into Orin's eyes, seemingly reading her mind.  "Ah, it's those eyes.  Quick and... intense.  I bet you never miss a detail, hm?  Like what you see?"

Orin was taken aback by the blatant flirting, and stumbled with her words.  "U-Uh... yes.  I do."  She could feel her face heating up in embarrassment.

Magnolia chuckled.  "Oh, that's good."

"Hey, Mags, that was a good set tonight."

Both of them turned to see who had spoken this time.  It was a man, dressed in a duster with a missing sleeve and with a military hat resting over his brown hair.  His striking blue eyes were quick to observe Orin, but the one thing she noticed about him was the formidable rifle strapped on his back.

"Thanks, MacCready.  You're too kind."  Magnolia said, smiling at him.

"So, you a Brotherhood soldier?"  He suddenly asked Orin.

"No, no."  She said quickly.  "I would never.  I took this off of one."

MacCready took another good moment, as if processing what Orin had said and then deciding whether or not it was a lie.

"Okay, I get it."  He said with a firm nod.

"MacCready, here to settle that tab?"  Charlie, the robot, suddenly cut in.

"Oof, sorry Charlie.  How about next time?"  MacCready said with a shrug.

Charlie let out a heavy sigh.  "Well, since we're friends, I guess I'll decide to let it slide... just this time."

"100, right?"  MacCready said, starting to walk off.

"No, that's just the finder's fee-"  Charlie was cut off as MacCready quickly left the bar.  "Ugh."  He groaned before going back to work.

Orin spent the next few hours sitting in the bar and enjoying Magnolia's singing.  She had listened to Diamond City Radio inside the Institute, and had always liked this kind of music.  It was great to hear it live.

When it was time to leave, she climbed back up the stairs and stepped out of the steel doors, only to be greeted by the brilliant and vibrant colors of the setting sun.  The oranges, reds, yellows, purples, pinks... all mixed together in a beautiful mosaic that Orin had never seen before.  She was captivated by it, and stood there until it all faded into a deep blue and the moon had started to rise.  Then the sound of a faint gunshot in the distance brought her back to earth, and she remembered what she had to do.

She went over all of it in her head.   _Pickman Gallery.  North.  Raiders.  What are raiders, though?  I'll just shoot if they shoot at me...  Find out what's happening, put a stop to it.  I'm ready... I'm ready... Let's not die tonight._

Stepping outside the front door to Goodneighbor and holding her loaded rifle, she nodded to herself determinedly.

"Let's go."


	4. Art Appreciation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin browses the lovely works of Pickman Gallery.

"Mother FUCKER!"

Orin ducked behind a pile of tires as bullets whizzed past her.  Quickly reloading her rifle, she took a deep breath before peeking above the barricade to see where those dumb Raiders were.  One behind the truck, one behind a fire barrel.  She had to conserve ammo; she didn't know how many more were inside.

She nodded to herself and leaning out from behind the barricade, fired two shots; one for each raider.  They both crumpled to the floor with a hole between their eyes.  Orin waited for another moment before making sure no more were coming for the moment, and quickly went to their bodies.  She grabbed whatever stimpaks and drugs they carried and all the bottle caps they had on them.  So far, with the six or seven raiders she dispatched, she had grabbed six stimpaks, four cartridges of Jet, and two syringes each of Psycho and Med-X.  Good thing Doctor Volkert had taught her about all these drugs back in the Institute, or she would have no idea what any of these things were.  She had also found a handy pipe wrench on one of them.

Slowly approaching the red door, she listened to the other side.  She could hear three muffled voices... and they were angry.  Orin slowly opened the door and crept inside, staying low to the ground in order to stay quiet.

She slipped into the large room on the side, only to be assaulted by the horrible smell of rotting flesh.  She covered her mouth to stop her from gagging and look for the source of that terrible smell.

What she saw gave her nightmares for the next few days.

Eerie paintings on the wall, each depicting a scene seemingly from the seven levels of Hell.  There were at least a dozen, all hung proudly on the peeling walls of the room.  And in the middle, at the center of it all, a mutilated pile of human flesh surrounding a mess of cabinets and pikes with human heads on display, all for the world to see.  Not to mention the floor that was practically painted in blood, presumably from the magnificent centerpiece.

"Aw, fuck..."  Orin groaned, proceeding to throw up in the corner.

As she was wiped the bile off her face, she suddenly heard the footsteps of someone approaching.  It sounded like only one person, so she quickly went around the fleshy centerpiece in order for him to not see her.

"Fucking hell..."  The raider mumbled.

Orin sneaked around until she was right behind the raider.  He was oblivious to the synth's presence.  Reaching for the pipe wrench, and raised her arm and brought it down swiftly on the raider's head, hard enough to have cracked his skull.  Blood pooled from his head as he crumbled to the floor, dead.  A piece of the pipe wrench broke off from the impact, so she threw it to the side and abandoned it.

She could see the other two standing there, armed and ready to move forward, but looking as if they were waiting for their third man, the one Orin just killed.  Grabbing her rifle, she took her time to aim at the closer one.

_Pew._

He crumpled to the floor and his companion shouted before looking in the direction of Orin.  Too late, because she had already fired the next shot, and it hit him in the throat, causing him to gasp and choke before falling to the floor right on top of his partner.

After looting them, she continued onward through the decrepit wooden halls of the building.  There were blood splatters everywhere, ranging from fresh to probably weeks old.  There were also bones and surgical tables in every room she explored.

In one room, Orin found a folded piece of paper in a basket of bones.  In really neat handwriting, it said,

" _Pickman was here._

 _Find me if you dare._ "

As a nice touch, there was a heart drawn in what could only be blood right under it.  A shiver went down Orin's spine as she stuck the note in her belt.  She decided to give it to Hancock if she got back... When she got back.

As she proceeded down a hole in the wall and down some dirt tunnels, she could only imagine what else there was in the Commonwealth.  Was this what everyone in the Institute talked about?  About how barbaric and chaotic it was up here?  All of the screwed up people and disgusting things... It was no wonder the Institute wanted to help the people up here.  And too bad the surface's only chance for hope was blown to pieces.

Orin reached a room with even more paintings ready to be displayed.  There was one painting that depicted a giant eye staring right at Orin, as if looking at her very soul.  It was very unsettling, to say the least.  In front of it sat a paint can filled to the brim with not red paint, but blood.

Orin needed to step back and take a deep and shaky breath.  How is it that the first real thing she does on the surface happen to be the most fucked up thing that's happened to her?

 _These paintings weren't made with paint,_ she thought,  _but blood._

She continued down the dirt tunnel and could hear some shouting and gun shots.  In a lighted room at the end, Orin watched below as some raiders faced off with a man dressed in a suit.  Had the raiders brought the man down here?  Were they the ones doing this?

One by one, the man in the suit dispatched the raiders.  Only one was left; and he was dressed in heavy raider armor covering every inch of his body.  The only way to kill him was to fire through the cage that surrounded his head, and even that would take a few shots.

Orin had no idea how much ammo she had left in this magazine, so she had to make every shot count.

She pulled the trigger, and it hit the cage, burning some hair off but not causing an extraordinary amount of damage.  It got his attention though.

"Nobody messes with Slab!"  He shouted in rage, turning towards Orin.

One more shot, and it grazed past his cheek, leaving another burn.  He screamed in pain before raising his gun up and aiming.

One more.

The third shot got him right in the eye, and his heavy body fell to the floor.  A few last twitches, and the raider was dead.  She jumped down from where she was, approaching the man in the suit.

"Hello my good friend."  He said, flashing a charming smile.  But there was something mildly disturbing about the smile... Like there was another reason why he was smiling.  And why was he so calm?  "Thank you for getting rid of that raider for me.  I've never liked them, you know.  They were always the scum of the Commonwealth.  That's why we should kill as many as we can when we can, right?"

Orin nodded warily.  "Yes... Of course."

"Well here's a gift from me,"  The man handed her a key, and he pointed at a safe.  "It's in that safe right there.  Do help yourself."

 

He walked off and Orin went to the safe, a little uneasy as to what would be inside.  The rusty safe creaked open, and inside was a shiny combat knife and another folded note.

Orin peeked at the note.

" _Thanks, Killer_ "

With a bloody heart under it.

Her eyes widened as she connected the dots and realized what she had done.  The guy she had just let walk off was Pickman.  This was all the work of Pickman.  Pickman was a serial killer, and Orin had just helped and let him loose unto the world once more.  She was sick to her stomach.  She was enraged.  But what could she do?  Pickman was long gone, and she likely would never see him again.

* * *

Pickman strolled to the door of his gallery, observing the carnage that his most recent visitor had left behind.  She did quite a good job at keeping the kills clean, ready for his art pieces.  It was a shame he couldn't stay longer and finish what he had started, but he knew there would be many more opportunities in the future.  After all, there were many more raiders to deal with.

Adjusting his tie and looking back at his magnificent museum one last time, he could only imagine what that woman must have thought after finding out she had so graciously helped a serial killer such as him.

A smile came to his lips as he opened the door, and in a whisper uttered,

"Find me if you dare."

And he left.


	5. Undecided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin doesn't know what to do until she remembers that she wouldn't be alive had a mysterious stranger come and saved her, so she consults with Hancock on what to do.

Orin helped herself to the combat knife in the safe and grabbed the thank you note at the same time, tossing it in the fire at the entrance to the "gallery".

She made her way back to Goodneighbor, selling whatever chems she found to Daisy before heading into the Old State House to wait for Hancock.  Fahrenheit wasn't there either, so she plopped on the couch and took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

She didn't even realize she fell asleep until her eyes fluttered open at least a few hours later.  Hancock and Fahrenheit were in the room; Hancock with a cartridge of Jet and Fahrenheit smoking a cigarette on the chair opposite of the couch.

"Sleeping Beauty's awake."  Fahrenheit said with an annoyed tone.

"Glad to see you're still alive."  Hancock said.  "Did you find out what was going on?"

Orin went over everything she had seen.  The note, the paintings, the raiders, Pickman.  Every single gruesome detail.  Even Fahrenheit, despite how tough she was, looked slightly disgusted with the whole ordeal.

"Damn."  Hancock said, eyes widening.  "You're a tough cookie, aren't ya?  Here's your payment."

He handed Orin a tin of caps that had at least 300 of it inside.

"Oh, Hancock.  This is too much."  She said, looking up at him.

"Don't be so damn modest."  He said, flashing a charming smile.  "Besides, you've earned it.  And my trust."

Fahrenheit scoffed, but Hancock ignored her.

"So, has our visitor decided what to do next?"  He asked, strolling around the room, playing with the Jet in his hand.

"No, I actually have no idea."  Orin said with an exasperated sigh.  "I... I'm not familiar with the area."

"You could catch a ride with one of Daisy's caravans."  Hancock suggested. "Or, you could stay here and work for me... With _many_ benefits, you know."  A quick wink and playful smile passed over Hancock.  Fahrenheit rolled her eyes.  Orin's eyes widened.

"I don't even know how I came here..."  Orin said quietly, leaning her head back against the couch.  Meanwhile, Hancock helped himself to the Jet with a satisfied sigh.  Suddenly, an idea came to her head.

"Hancock, do you know who dropped me off here?"  She asked quickly, standing up.

He shook his head to clear his mind and nodded.  "Why?"

"If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be here.  I want to find her and thank her."

"Well, I do know who she is, but she told me not to tell you."

Orin was taken aback.  "Why?"

Hancock shrugged before plopping on a chair.  "I sure as hell don't know.  I don't know where she is either, but... I do know someone in Diamond City who might."

"Who?"  She asked quickly.

"Her name is Piper Wright.  She's the reporter, but just be careful what you say."  He warned.  "Despite how she looks, she's pretty smart, I'll give her that.  Only give her what she wants, and make sure you get the answer you want."

Orin nodded.  "How do I get there?"

"Hitch a ride with one of Daisy's caravans.  There's one bound to be heading to Diamond City... of course, for a small fee."  He suggested, leaning against the wall.

Orin nodded.  "Alright.  Thanks, Hancock."

"Don't mention it,"  He smiled and nodded.  "And remember, you're always welcome in Goodneighbor."

Orin headed to Daisy's, where she found a caravan heading to Diamond City the next morning for 70 caps.  After refilling her ammo supply at  _Kill or Be Killed_ , she headed back down to the Third Rail to get something to eat and drink.

Once again, as she headed down the stairs, Magnolia's music floated to her ears.  She decided to get vodka from Charlie, as it was her favorite drink back in the Institute, before plopping on a couch and watching the show.  At one point, she could have sworn that Magnolia winked at her from the stage.

At the end of the set, everyone including Orin applauded loudly.

"Thank you, everyone, I'll be back in a moment."

For the rest of the night, Orin stayed and conversed among the drifters and residents of Goodneighbor over drinks and pre-war canned food.  She heard stories of how great the world used to be with things like bowling alleys and television shows all for pure entertainment.  And she heard stories of what happened when the bombs fell.  Chaos and war on a land of fire.  And how after a few decades radroaches and deathclaws started to appear.  Orin learned a lot about the history of the Commonwealth that night.

When the next morning came, Orin headed out to Daisy's place at the crack of dawn and met up with the caravan willing to take her to Diamond City.  After gawking at the thing she came to learn as a Brahmin, Orin paid her caps and without any more waiting, was off to the Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth.

* * *

It took them a few hours to get there since at one point had to defend themselves from feral dogs.  While Orin had remained relatively quiet during the journey, she listened to what the other were saying.

"I can't believe Daisy told this scav she could come with us."

"Whatever.  We got caps.  Besides, the boss said she could, and we're just hired help."

"Well, I know that."

"Don't be a bitch about it.  More caps for us."

The reached the giant green gate and the head of the caravan, an older man with graying hair, talked through a speaker for a moment before the entrance began to creak open.  One thing Orin immediately noticed was how tough Diamond City was on the outside and how safe it seemed.  She parted ways with the caravan there and thanked the boss before heading through a rusty gate and up some cement stairs.

The warm sun and busy market below greeted Orin as she took her first steps into Diamond City.  An orange flag with a faded white logo flew nearby.

"So we've got a newcomer, huh?"

Orin turned towards the voice and came face to face with a woman wearing a leather coat, brown cap, and black fingerless gloves.  She carried a notepad and pencil with her, and a few papers were tucked into the band on her hat.

"Name's Piper Wright, reporter for Publick Occurrences."

 


	6. The Great Green Jewel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin tours Diamond City and talks to Piper Wright.

At least she didn't have to look for her now.

"Walk with me," Piper said as she headed down the stairs into the marketplace.  A young girl standing on a box was the first thing that greeted them.

"Keep it up, Nat!"  Piper said as she went through a door.  Orin looked around the place for a moment before following.

It was modestly furnished house.  A couch here, counter there, printing machine over there.  A little bedroom behind a wall on the first floor and on the loft of the second.  Comfortable.  It was also the cleanest Orin had seen so far.

"What's your story?"  Piper asked, plopping on the couch.  She reached for a Nuka Cola sitting on the coffee table and cracked it open.  She took a gulp before continuing.  "You, uh, part of the Brotherhood?"

"I should change what I'm wearing, huh?"  Orin asked with a sigh, leaning against the wall.  She was tired of everybody just assuming that she part of the group that killed many of her friends.

"Why are you wearing their uniform?"

"I took it off a body.  They were, uh, attacking."

Piper's eyes widened a little and she put her soda down.  "Attacking?  Where?"

"You ask too many questions."  Orin definitely was feeling a little uncomfortable.

"It's my job.  I am a reporter, you know."  Piper stood up from the couch, taking a stroll around Orin and taking a good look at her.  "Hm..."  The gears in her head were turning.  Finally, she stood right in front of Orin, hand under her chin.  "Vault Dweller?"

"Vault... Dweller?"  Orin asked, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion.  "What's that?"

Piper looked surprised by her reaction.  "If you're not a Vault Dweller, then..."  Suddenly, she gasped loudly.  "Oh my god... you're a synth!"

Orin quickly shook her head.  "No, no!  I'm not."

"Yeah, you are.  Don't doubt it."  Piper leaned forward, looking at every detail of Orin's concerned face.  "Who else would have such a clueless and confused look if you're not a Dweller?  Oh, so there are still synths in the Commonwealth!  Oh, I've got to write about this!"

"No!" Orin suddenly pulled her rifle around, priming the cell and putting her finger on the trigger.  It was clear she was frightened, scared for her life.  "You... you can't!"  She couldn't have anyone else know that she was a synth.  After Amari's warning and the disaster that was the Institute's explosion, she couldn't afford to have the Brotherhood coming after her.  It would mean certain death.  Even though she knew she wasn't a real human, she still valued her existence.

"Whoa, there."  Piper remained calm, putting her hands up.  "Put the rifle down.  I know you're scared, but put it down.  I might write about it, but I won't mention anything about you.  Your secret is safe with me.  I may be a reporter, but I can keep secrets.  Got me?"

Orin slowly lowered her rifle and switched it off, eyeing Piper warily.  "Really?" She was never this twitchy back in the Institute, but with the Commonwealth being something of an unknown quantity and with the world giving her so many chances she would never have gotten, she couldn't help but be so cautious with everything around her.  Hopefully she'd get used to it... eventually.

Piper nodded firmly.  "Yep."

 Orin took a deep breath and plopping onto a metal chair, cradling her face in her hands.  "Sorry..."  Came a muffled mumble.

"Oh, don't worry.  You're scared, I understand."  Piper sat back on the couch nonchalantly, taking the Nuka Cola back in her hand.  "Before the Brotherhood announced that they had officially destroyed the Institute, which meant that they actually existed, everyone was afraid of synths.  But now I'm beginning to realize that it was all because we just didn't have an open mind.  And believe you me, when you live in a place like the Wasteland, you tend to develop an open mind pretty quickly."

"It's only been a few days and I've been through so much..."  Orin said, sitting up and leaning back in the chair.  "Now I know why everybody said that the surface was so dangerous."

Orin and Piper had a good and long conversation about the Institute.  It did just more than provide content for a news article, it made Orin feel better about her situation.  She was able to talk freely about how she felt and all the heavy thoughts weighing on her mind.  And Piper listened.  Orin even asked about the stranger, just what she remembered.  It seemed like Piper had an idea, but wasn't sure.

It was when the sun set and Orin was hungry that their conversation finally came to a close.

"Piper, thank you... For everything."  Orin said, standing from the chair.

"No problem.  Really."  Piper said, smiling and waving her hand dismissively.  "I've got soooo much stuff for a new series of articles too!  Don't worry, I won't mention your name."

"Thanks, Piper."  Orin smiled softly.  "Hey, do you know a good place to eat?"

"Power Noodles!"  Piper said, grabbing her typewriter from the counter.  "It's right outside, with the Protectron at the counter.  Best fast food place in the Commonwealth.  Oh, and when you've got a chance, stop by Valentine's Detective Agency.  Nick's gonna be the one to help you find that stranger."

They said their goodbyes and Orin made a beeline for Power Noodles, ready to eat.  The Protectron wore a little chef hat and was stirring a large, metal pot.  She walked up to the robot, unsure of how to order, but before she could say anything;

"Nan-ni shimasu ka?"

Orin was surprised by the foreign language and stood there.

"Just say yes."

She turned around to see a Brotherhood soldier standing there, dressed in a black jumpsuit similar to Orin's and a full set of heavy combat armor.  She also had on a backpack with two rifles strapped to either side and a revolver in a holster at her waist.  Her hair was shaved on the sides but the top was pulled back into a ponytail.  Her eyes were dark brown and she had a long deep scar over her left eye.  Orin immediately felt tense, but this soldier's face... Her face seemed vaguely familiar.  But Orin ignored that.

"Say yes?"  Orin asked.

"Yeah.  It's pretty much the only thing he understands.  And then say how many bowls you want."  The woman said with a friendly nod.

When Orin turned back towards the robot, he talked again.

"Nan-ni shimasu ka?"

"Is that the only thing he knows how to say?"  Orin asked the woman.

The woman laughed.  "Yep."

Orin said "yes" and ordered a bowl of noodles.  She paid up and it was quickly served to her.

"Thank you."  She said to the woman.

"Oh, of course."  The woman said with a smile.  She walked off, but before Orin turned away she saw a few other passing soldiers salute at her.

"Good afternoon, Sentinel."  Some said.

"At ease, soldiers."

Orin thought nothing of it and ate the noodles, which were surprisingly delicious.  Much better than any nutrition supplement in the Institute.

After she finished her dinner, she meandered around the market for a bit in an effort to try and find Valentine's Detective Agency.

When she reached a corner of the market, near the schoolhouse, she noticed a bright neon sign that read "Detective" with an arrow pointing down an alley.  She looked down the alley and saw another sign that read "Valentine's Detective Agency" in the same neon lights.  She followed it and went through the red door, sticking her head in for a moment and looking around.

It was a small office with loads of papers everywhere; piled on desks and file drawers, sticking out of drawers, piled on the floor.  And the smell of cigarettes.

"Hello," said a woman sorting through a file drawer.  "Come on in, gumshoe.  Don't be shy."

"Is it closed?"  Orin asked before she stepped in.

"No, of course not."

Orin stepped inside and closed the door gently behind her.

"Nick!  We've got a client!"  The woman shouted.

"Yeah, coming!"  Came another voice.  It was a guy.

"I'm Ellie Perkins."  She said, offering her hand.  "I'm the assistant here.  I'll just take down your name and stuff before Nick gets here.  Have a seat."

Orin sat down in the chair opposite the side Ellie was standing, and she picked up a clipboard and pencil before jotting down some things like Orin's name and problem.

"So, what seems to be the problem?"

Orin turned when she heard the voice.  She gasped in surprised and her eyes widened when she saw who... or what he was.

"You're a synth?!"


	7. Unlikely Valentine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin talks to Nick Valentine about her mysterious stranger, and he directs her to a possible location.

"That obvious, huh?"

"This is Nick Valentine, Diamond City's one and only synth detective."

The detective wore a faded trench coat and matching fedora, and his orange eyes glowed rather brightly under the brim of his hat.  A piece of his plastic exterior was missing from the side of his face going down to his neck, and a cigarette rested between his lips.  The entire exterior of one hand was missing, revealing the metal endoskeleton beneath.

"It's just..."  Orin stopped herself mid-sentence to think about what she was going to say.  "It's just surprising to see a synth like you."

"Yeah, there's not many synths like me."  Nick said, heading over to the other side of the desk and taking a seat.  He took the cigarette out of his mouth and put it out in a well-used ashtray.  "So, tell me what's going on."

"Well, Orin here is looking for someone, but the problem is she doesn't know who she's looking for."  Ellie explained, going through what little notes she had.

"So it's not a missing person case, then."  Nick said, nodding.  "Alright... Tell me everything you know."

"Well, I was... lost.  And I fainted because of radiation poisoning."  Orin started.  "But I was drifting in and out of it, and I heard a woman talking mostly.  I was dropped off in Goodneighbor, and Hancock was the one who mentioned that I should come to Diamond City."

Nick was silent for a while, just looking at Orin.  "You do realize that's not a lot to go on, right?"

"Yeah, I know, but Hancock said I should talk to Piper, and Piper said I should come here."  Orin sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.  "Oh, when I came to I was in Doctor Amari's Memory Den."

"The Memory Den?  And you say a woman dropped you off there?"  Nick looked at Ellie.

"Didn't you go with..."  Ellie said, trailing off.

"That's the only person I can think of."  Nick leaned on the table, looking at Orin.  "There's only one person I know that has the heart to pick up some random drifter and drop them off at the nearby doctor's office.  And she does go through Goodneighbor pretty often.  In fact, she's good friends with Hancock.  I've traveled with her a bit as well, in fact, I was the one who introduced her to Amari."

"Who is it?"  Orin asked, leaning on the desk as well.

"Her name is Evelyn."  Nick stood up and started pacing around the office.  "She was client once too... She's in the Brotherhood of Steel and one of their highest ranking officers... In fact, she was the only reason the Commonwealth was able to defeat the Institute once and for all."

Orin felt a feeling of dread begin to form inside her.  Not only did the person who saved her belong to the Brotherhood of Steel, she was the one who blew her home up?

"Do you know where I can find her?"  Orin asked, standing up from her seat as well.

"Well, no.  She moves around a lot."  Nick reached over another desk in the corner and pulled down from the wall a map of the Commonwealth.  "I've been with her to this bunker, though."  He pointed to a symbol on the map.  "It's called Listening Post Bravo.  Old military site.  It's quite a bit Northeast of here, and a little dangerous if you can't shoot straight.  But there is a man there who might be able to help you... if he doesn't kill you first."

"I'll go."  Orin said with a firm nod.

Nick seemed a little uneasy about letting Orin go, but he nodded and stood from his seat, offering his hand.  "Well, alright."

They shook hands, but before Orin left she asked where she would be able to go to rent a room.  She was directed to the Dugout Inn, which was right at the edge of the market place.

The strong smell of alcohol greeted Orin as she stepped into the bar.  It took her a while to get used to the smell.

The bar was already rather busy, with many customers at both the bar and seating areas.

"Hello, how can I help you?"

A woman holding a broom was standing there, smiling politely at Orin.

"I was looking to rent a room."

"Oh, you want to talk to Yefim.  He's sitting right there."  She said, pointing towards him.

Orin thanked the woman before talking to said man and getting a room for a cheap 10 caps.  But she wasn't exactly tired yet, so she decided to meander about Diamond City a little while longer.

When she stepped back into the bar however, an all-too familiar sight met her eyes.

That of a Courser, standing in the entrance.  Those familiar patrolman sunglasses and black leather uniform that once inspired Orin sent a chill down her spine.  A reminder of what her life used to be.  Of how different she was.

They seemed to lock eyes for a moment, and Lillyan feared the worse.  Her eyes looked between the laser pistol at his waist and his face.

"Hey, Orin."

The voice scared Orin, and she jumped as she felt something touch her shoulder.

"It's just me, Nick."

"Nick, you scared the crap out of me."  She said with a soft sigh.  She looked back at the Courser, who was now approaching the bar.

"Yeah, but so did that Courser, huh?"  He motioned for her to sit on a nearby couch.  When they sat, he spoke again.  "Forgive me for prying, but why are you so scared of it?"

"The Courser? Well, because... because..."  Orin couldn't find the right words to explain why without revealing she was a synth.

"Customer confidentiality."  Nick said, nodding.  "You can tell me."

"Well, I'm a..."  Orin didn't want to say it.

"A synth?"  He finished her sentence in a lower voice.  He was quiet for a moment and the gears in his head seemed to be turning.  "You know Diamond City doesn't like that, right?"

Orin nodded.  She didn't like how so many people already knew what she was.

"But why didn't he attack me?"  Orin asked Nick in almost a whisper.

"Probably because nobody's there to give him orders."  Nick took out a cigarette and lit it.  "The ones you really have to worry about are the Brotherhood goofs.  They're the ones that'll cause the most trouble... I mean, you must know that already."

Orin nodded.  Nick stood from his seat and put the cigarette between his lips.  "Well, I'll see you later.  If you ever need me again, you know where to find me."

After Nick left, Orin ended up getting a drink, which was called the "Dirty Wastelander."  It was disgusting nonetheless, and Orin accidentally broke the bottle when she put it down on the counter.

It was in the wee hours of the morning did Orin finally decide to go to sleep.  She was a little buzzed, but not enough to mess with her senses too much.  There wasn't much to think about except the fact that she had to go to Fallon's when the sun rose and find that man in Listening Post Bravo.

And with a few thoughts drifting around in her head, she went to sleep.


	8. You Don't Pet Things Like That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin meets and helps a very unlikely friend.

Came morning, Orin headed towards Fallon's and waited patiently on the bench for them to open.  She explained what she needed, paid the necessary caps, and got the uniform dyed a different color; a military green.  She liked it and no one really asked her if she was in the Brotherhood after the color-change.

"Haircuts from the Upper-Stands!"

Orin stopped out of interest at Kathy and John's Super Salon, near Piper's office.  Apparently, John noticed her.

"For you, I think a nice trim, or even a whole new haircut will do!  Only 15 caps."

Orin's curiosity took the better of her and she passed along 15 caps.

"What would you like?"

"Whatever you think would make me look good."

After maybe what was an hour, Orin's haircut was finished.  Her raven hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but the sides were shaved.  It was a very clean-cut look.

"I call that haircut the Waste Maiden.  Looks good on mercenaries."

She admired her new haircut in the mirror and thanked John before heading off towards the rest of the market.

She stocked up on cells and stimpaks and bid Valentine and Piper goodbye as she left Diamond City, heading north east towards Listening Post Bravo.  Hopefully there would be someone there that could help her find the person she was looking for... But she couldn't help but think about Valentine's warning.  What dangers awaited her there?

Almost as soon as she left Diamond City, she was approached by a desperate woman.

"Help!  She needs help!  She's going to die!"

Orin, the good Samaritan that she was, decided to follow the woman.  To a place called Hardware Town.  The woman did appear a little sketchy, though.  She had dark markings around her eyes in the shape of diamonds, despite appearing like a normal ragged settler.

"Surprise, mother fucker!"

Orin had to duck behind a forklift as bullets were suddenly shot towards her.  One just barely missed her head, grazing her cheek.  She'd need to clean that before it got infected.

Of course.  It was a trap.  One really couldn't trust anything on the surface.

She reached for the knife she got from Pickman, holding it and ready to stab in one hand while she shot at the others in the warehouse.  There were maybe five or six of them shooting at her.

"It's either you or me!"

Orin peeked above the forklift and saw one of them running straight towards her wielding a machete.  Raising the knife above her head, she flew it at him and it struck him right in the neck.  He immediately fell to the ground, life leaving him as quickly as the blood left his body.

She fired back and forth with the others for a while, one by one picking them off.  Once the warehouse had fallen quiet, she wearily began to walk around, taking whatever was of use off the bodies of who were now Raiders, albeit dead

When she went to pry her knife out of the neck of the first raider she dispatched, she noticed the armor he was wearing.  It was tough, made of metal, and looked like heavy-duty protection.  It would definitely keep a few bullets out of her.  Wiping whatever blood she could off it, she took it off the body and put it on, strapping it tightly onto her arms, legs, and torso.  Even though it was a little heavy, she would get used to it.  Continuing to walk about the warehouse, she found a few full-body mirrors stacked against the wall, and took the opportunity to get a glimpse at her newfound look.  Now, she looked like a true wastelander; outfitted in a full set of heavy-metal combat armor, with her new hair-cut and all.  If her old Institute-self saw her now, she would have no idea who it was.

Leaving Hardware Town, she continued on in the general direction of northeast.  She walked for several hours, defending herself from the occasional giant fly or giant roach scuttling past her.

Suddenly, something big burst out of the bushes.

And it was being chased.

"Hey!  You!"

Two wastelanders stepped out of the bushes and towards Orin.  They were carrying rope and their pipe weapons.  The large creature next to them was no less than a giant white scorpion with red eyes, but it was painfully tied up to itself.  Its legs were tied together, its stinger tied against itself, pincers tied shut, and a stick stuck and tied around its mouth so it couldn't bite.  It looked like it was in pain.

"We got this radscorpion,"  Said one wastelander, twitching feverishly.

"Yeah, yeah, and we tamed 'em."  Said the other, scratching his arms.  There were needle marks in them.

"500 caps, and he's yours."

Orin clearly doubted these two drug-frantic wastelanders, but looked towards the radscorpion.

"Only if I untie it first."

The two wastelanders looked towards each other, smiling deviously for a moment before looking back towards Orin.

"Sure, lady, sure."

Orin primed her rifle and looked towards the radscorpion, who stared straight back at it.  She held it up, ready to fire, just in case it decided to attack... Which it probably would.

"Nice giant scorpion..."  She said, extending a hand out.

It made scary clicking noises when Orin did, but she reached out and managed to pet it.  Just enough to calm the poor creature down.  The two druggies looked at each other in surprise.

"Hey hey, lady, you know, you don't pet things like that,"  Said one of the druggies.

Orin pulled out her blade.  "You know you don't tie up things like this, right?"

She kept an eye on the scorpion as she cut away at the rope, and it was a few minutes before the radscorpion was freed.  It made a few soft clicking noises as it stretched its legs and stinger out.

"Alright lady, now the caps-"

Suddenly, the radscorpion dug into the ground and disappeared for a moment, but one could feel the rumbling of the Earth below as it dug through the dirt.  Orin was surprised, and quickly raised her rifle to defend herself.

The radscorpion burst through the ground, but not at Orin.  It did so to the two junkies that tried to sell him to Orin, impaling them with its stinger and tearing them apart.  But the worrying wasn't done yet.

It now faced Orin, its beady red eyes staring right into her.  She didn't back down but was ready to defend herself in case it attacked.

"Nice giant scorpion..."  She said again, extending her hand.

To her great surprise, the radscorpion scuttled forward and let Orin pet it.

"Well, hey there..."  She said, smiling.  It was a little relieving, but she couldn't help but be a bit weary.  Orin carefully put away her rifle and blade, but it still sat there, letting Orin pet its rough exterior.

"You're free to go, you know."  She said, pulling her hand away.  It made a few clicks as Orin began to walk away.  "Bye, now,"  She said, waving at it.

It dug into the ground, disappearing beneath the earth once more.  Orin walked a few feet before it sprang up again next to her, scaring her in the process.

"No, you're free."  Orin said, shaking her head.  "Go... live your life, I guess."

Orin continued walking but the radscorpion continued to scuttle alongside her.

Suddenly, Orin broke into a sprint.  Instead of continuing, the scorpion disappeared into the ground.  She took a sigh of relief and went to turn around, but the insect was right there, patiently waiting for her.

"Do you want to travel with me?"  She asked, crouching down in front of it and placing her hand on its head.  It seemed to make some clicking noises in agreement.  "What should I name you, then?  Mm..."  Orin thought for a few moments.  "What about... Radcliff?  How does that sound?"

It clicked its pincers in agreement.

"Sure.  Radcliff it is then."


	9. Blind Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin meets the man who'll lead her to find her mysterious savior... and maybe her death.

It was nice having Radcliff next to her side.  She now had someone... or something to talk too.  Even though it was clear Radcliff was still cautious around Orin, he trusted her enough.

They continued on northeast for several hours until the sun set.  The Commonwealth stretched on in all directions, an endless stretch of burnt land.  As they continued, Orin marveled at the broken but still-standing elevated highways, littered with nuclear cars from over two hundred years ago.  She couldn't help but wondered what happened... Back in the Institute, she was told that there was an atomic war and it destroyed everything... But that was the extent of it.  They didn't want anyone learning about the surface in order to prevent people from wanting to visit there.  It was said that even Father didn't go to the surface unless he absolutely had to.

It was nighttime and the stars shone brightly above the pair when they reached a large landing pad.  Although it was covered in weeds and trash and was faded, one could make out a large H in a circle.

"I think this might be it..."  Orin mumbled as she began to step down the stairs.

Suddenly turrets started shooting at them.  Orin had to dive behind a tree and Radcliff dug into the ground.  Priming her rifle, she took a few shots at the turrets and took care of one.  Radcliff destroyed the other one.

"Who's there?!"

A man in a large suit of Power Armor stepped outside, holding a rifle.  But he spotted Radcliff on the top of the bunker and began shooting at him.

"Hey!  Stop!"  Orin shouted, firing a warning shot near the man.

He looked extremely upset and faced Orin, ready to shoot her head off.  But his eyes widened and he raised his rifle, ready to fire.  Radcliff scurried to Orin's side.

"You."  He growled.

"What?"  Orin asked, confused.  But when he pointed his gun at her, she raised her own and pointed back in her own defense

"You were that filthy synth she saved after the explosion."  He spat, eyebrows scrunched together.  His eyes were full of hate and rage.  "You were lucky I didn't kill you right there.  Sometimes she's too nice."

"What did I ever do to you?"  Orin asked, standing her ground.

"You're a synth."  He said.  "An abomination of technology and nature.  Created of metal and machines... And meant to blend into and infiltrate society.  You... We are not meant to exist.  It's a good thing the Institute was destroyed.  And she said the next time we met, I could kill you."

"Geez."  Orin said, getting upset at the man.  "He was right."

"Someone told you where I was?"  He asked, raising his rifle again.  "Who was it?"

"You need to promise not to hurt him if I tell you."  She said, raising her rifle once more in defense.

"I can't promise that."  He said, shaking his head.

"Hey!  What's going on here?"

Orin and the man looked towards the voice.  There stood a woman, with a black Brotherhood uniform and outfitted in a full suit of combat armor.  It was the same woman Orin ran into at Power Noodles.

"Sentinel, this synth here said someone told her where to find me."  The man said, lowering his rifle not an inch.

"You're the woman from Power Noodles."  Orin said, looking at her.

"You're the synth I saved from the explosion."  The woman said.  "I'm Evelyn.  It's nice to finally meet you."

"I'm... Orin."  She said.

"Paladin Danse, stand down."  Evelyn said as she turned towards the man.  "This synth is obviously causing us no harm, and we both know that not all synths are bad."

Danse seemed hesitant, but lowered his rifle.  "Yes, Sentinel."

"And stop calling me Sentinel.  You know it's fine."  Evelyn stepped towards Orin as Danse headed back into the bunker.  "Orin, is it?  Come with me."

The two of them headed towards the landing pad with Radcliff following behind.

"You've befriended a radscorpion?"  Evelyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah.  His name is Radcliff."  Orin said, smiling towards the scorpion.  He made a few clicks back.

"Hm.  We'll head to Goodneighbor then."  Evelyn pulled out a grenade and pulled the pin, tossing it at the middle of the pad.  It started emitting green smoke.  "There should be enough room in the vertibird for Radcliff to fit."

It took a few minutes, but soon there was something flying above them, with rotating blades on the top and with a minigun on the side.  This must be the vertibird Evelyn said was coming.

"Ad Victoriam, Sentinel."  Said a soldier as Evelyn climbed into the bird.

"This woman and her radscorpion are my guests.  Do not judge or bother them.  Is that understood, soldiers?"  She said.

"Yes, sir!"  They responded in unison.  "Where would you like us to drop you?"

"Near Goodneighbor."

Evelyn and Orin climbed into the vertibird, with Radcliff finding his way in on the other side.  One of the soldiers climbed out and shut the door on Radcliff's side so he wouldn't fly out, and soon the bird started up once more.  Evelyn handed Orin a pair of headphones as they lifted off.

Soon, they were high above the Commonwealth.  It looked so different from high up; all those ruined buildings still standing and the grasslands stretching in all directions when the city ended.  Those crumbling elevated highways that were once bustling with cars.  That huge crater in the distance with a perpetual rad storm shrouding it.

"It looks different from up here, huh?"  Evelyn asked through the headphones.  Orin just nodded, eyes locked on that crater in the distance.  Evelyn knew what Orin was looking at, but didn't mention anything.

It was a few minutes until they began to descend again, and Orin found herself in front of the familiar Goodneighbor.  The neon sign glimmered against the rusted metal fence.

Orin and Radcliff got out, followed by Evelyn.

"Ad Victoriam, soldiers."  She said, saluting.

"Ad Victoriam!"

The vertibird flew away and the three of them made their way into Goodneighbor.  Radcliff couldn't fit through the door, so he climbed on the nearby building to make his way inside.

"Radscorpion!"

Orin dove in front of Radcliff to protect him, holding her arms out.

"Stop!  He will not hurt you!"  She shouted to all the drifters pointing their guns at him.

"You don't know that!"  Shouted one drifter.

"Sure, I don't!  But I do know that if you don't hurt him, he won't hurt you!"  Orin shouted back.  "Please, lower your weapons!"

"Hey, isn't everyone entitled to have a pet?"

Hancock stepped between the crowd.  Orin let a soft sigh of relief out.  She trusted Hancock, she knew he could straighten things out.

"Nice to see you alive, Orin."  Hancock said, smiling charmingly at her.   "How's it going, Evelyn?"

Evelyn smiled at Hancock.  "Pretty good, Hancock.  Long time no see."

"No kidding."  He said as he turned to the drifters.  "But what am I saying, huh?  Everybody can have a pet, it's just that this lady's one happened to be a big, scary radscorpion.  We don't hurt people or things unless they deserve to be hurt, right?"

The drifters mumbled in agreement.

"Now, let's get back to our Jet, shall we?"

The drifters dispersed and Hancock turned back towards Orin and Evelyn.

"I see you found Evelyn."  He said, putting his hands on his hips.  "How'd you manage to do that?"

"It's a long story."  Orin said, laughing softly.

"Well, you can tell me over drinks later.  You look like you need one."  Hancock said, smiling and patting Orin's shoulder.  "Why don't you head to the Third Rail?  Evelyn will meet you there."

Orin looked between the two for a moment, and Evelyn nodded.  "Well, I'll talk to you later, then."

First, she dropped Radcliff off at a room in the Rexford, leaving him with some bloatfly chunks just in case he got hungry.  She headed into the Third Rail, where she greeted Whitechapel Charlie by exchanging caps for vodka.

She plopped down on a couch as the pleasant music of Magnolia filled her ears.  Evelyn did make her way down to the Third Rail with her combat helmet tucked under her arm.  She also got a drink from Charlie before sitting across from Orin.

"So, I know you were looking for me."  She said, putting her helmet on the table.  "I spoke to Nick when I was in Diamond City.  I was his partner for a little while, and he told me you headed to Danse, hopefully to talk to him... but the Brotherhood is still large in the Commonwealth and he's in hiding from them.  That's why he's so on edge.

"What question do you want to ask me first, then?"  She leaned on the back of the seat.  "You must have a lot."

Orin put her drink down, leaning forward, elbows on her knees.

"Why did you save me?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to Diamond City Radio on Fallout.fm when I was writing this chapter lmao


	10. Some Rain Must Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orin gets her questions answered by Evelyn.

Evelyn gazed at Orin for a moment, swirling her glass and taking a nice, hearty drink.  She put the glass down on the coffee table between them before she spoke.

"Before I planted the bomb on the Institute's nuclear reactor, I saw Father."  She started.  "You know that Father was my son.  He was taken away from me when he was a child by the very institution that he now led.  I couldn't let something like that continue on, patronizing humanity while they put themselves on a pedestal."  She sighed before continuing.  "But in order to get to the reactor, I needed to shut down some of the synths.  You were there.  You know what happened.  I issued the evacuation order from his terminal in an effort to save as many innocent synths as possible.  While I am with the Brotherhood of Steel, it's not synths I hate.  In fact, one of my closest friends is a synth.  It was what the Institute stood for that I hated.  So when I saw Father... I promised him that I would save as many synths as possible.  That was my promise to him... My last promise to my son.  So that's why I saved you.  It was the least I could do when I destroyed everything Shaun had worked for."

Orin had to take a minute to process what Evelyn had just said.  It brought back so many vivid memories of what had just happened a week ago to her home.  And while she was adjusting to the above world quite well, she would never forget how she came into it.

When Orin didn't say anything, Evelyn continued.

"You were lying there dying of radiation poisoning."  She tapped the contraption on her left wrist.  "My Pip-Boy was going crazy.  You had so much rads you were emitting them.  I took you to Doctor Amari because she's familiar with synth biology."

"But how did you know I was a synth?"  Orin asked quickly.

"No wastelander would allow themselves to get that many rads, for one.  And you were... Clean.  Well kept, still had an Institute look about you.  I, of course, wasn't 100 percent sure, but I took my chances."

 "So you just took your chance with me and _hoped_ I would turn out to be a synth?"  Orin asked suddenly standing.  She was fuming.  "So, let me get this straight- You saved me in an effort to keep your half-assed promise to your son?  What about all those other synths that _couldn't_ escape?  What about those scientists?  Those people were my _friends_.  They did nothing wrong.  Yeah, maybe they helped with some monumental achievement of the Institute, but it was only because it was the _only_ life they knew."

Evelyn remained calm.  "You asked me.  Don't make a scene.  Charlie and Hancock won't appreciate it."

Orin couldn't just sit down, but she quieted herself.

"How could you just kill your son and his legacy with the push of a button?"  She finally asked after pacing for a bit.

"You think I wanted to?"  Evelyn asked, standing.  Now she was getting mad.  "I wanted to save him.  You must know he was dying.  I spared him."

"So spared him by killing him?"  Orin went face to face with the Sentinel.  "He was your son.  He was my creator."

Evelyn's fist clenched.  "Maybe I shouldn't have saved you.  It was a mistake."

"Maybe it was."  Orin said, gritting her teeth.

"Sentinel, sir."

A group of Brotherhood soldiers stepped up to Evelyn.

"Yes, soldier?"  Evelyn said, straightening herself out.

"Elder Maxson requests your presence."  Said the leader.

"Thank you, Paladin Willow."  Evelyn immediately left, and Orin waited for a few minutes before heading to Hotel Rexford.  Radcliff was curled up on her bed.  After giving him a pat and telling him to move over, she plopped on the mattress and went to sleep with a lot on her mind.

* * *

It was nighttime when Orin woke up.  Probably around midnight.  Radcliff was scurrying around the room, hungry just as Orin was.

"Let's go to Daisy's."  She said, getting out of bed.

Radcliff followed her out of the hotel and through Goodneighbor.

"Welcome back."  Daisy said, leaning on the counter.  "Glad you're still alive to trade with me."

As Orin bought canned food and meat from Daisy, she spotted a blue plaid dress.  It was old and tattered.

"Hey, is that dress for sale?"  She asked, carrying the food in one arm.

"Sale?  For not even half a cap."  Daisy tossed it over Orin's shoulder.  "You can have it."

"Thanks, Daisy."

Orin and Radcliff headed back to the hotel, where she fed him and they ate a late dinner together.  She looked at the tattered dress and then at Radcliff, who was busy munching away at the radroach meat.

After a few hours of cutting and measuring, Orin was finally able to make a bandanna for Radcliff, wrapping and tying it around his head.  It matched him, and at least others would know that Radcliff was friendly, if not that then at least different from other radscorpions.

Now that Orin had met and confronted Evelyn, she didn't know what to do.  Maybe she would go to Hancock.  She was running a little low on caps, after all.

Telling Radcliff to stay put in their room, she once again headed outside to the Old State House.  Luckily, Hancock was still up and about.

"Orin,"  Hancock said with a smile.  "What can I do for you at this hour?"

"Well,"  Orin said, putting her hands on her hips.  "Do you have any jobs I could do to replenish my cap stash?"

Hancock chuckled.  "Trying to become my personal mercenary, are you?  I don't have any right now, but you should ask Whitechapel Charlie.  He more than likely has one... or a few."

"Thanks."

She headed down to the Third Rail, which was more empty than before but still buzzing with quiet conversations.  Magnolia was no where to be seen however, probably because it was one or two in the morning and all people needed to sleep.  Diamond City Radio radio was filling the bar from the speaker next to the stage.

"You again."  Charlie said as she stepped up to the bar.

"I was referred to you by Mr. Hancock himself."  Orin said, leaning on the counter.  "I was told you might have a job."

Charlie just looked at Orin for a moment while wiping away at a cup.  After a moment, he spoke.  "I might.  Only if you buy something."

"Then get me a cold beer."  Orin said, handing over the caps.

Soon, the alcohol was in her hand and she was sitting at the bar, sipping away as Charlie talked to her.

"If you're going to become a  _regular_ ," Charlie started, "I'll need to know what you're good at.  So, here's one."

There was a raider gang right down the street from Goodneighbor that keeps terrorizing caravans as they pass by, taking things that don't belong to them.  Daisy and Kleo are pitching into the payment as well, but Orin's job was to get rid of every raider there.

"And don't worry.  I'll know when it's done."  Charlie said, pointing at her.

Orin took the job and went over to Kill or Be Killed to stock up before going to fetch Radcliff.  When she walked in, she spotted a nice looking rifle with a silencer at the end.  It looked perfect for a ranged kill.

"How much is that?"  She asked, pointing towards it.

"It's a nice 150 caps."  Kleo said, picking it up and putting it on the counter.  "It's .50 caliber, with a long night vision scope and a recoil compensating stock.  Perfect for killing your lover at a nice distance without anyone knowing, thanks to this nice silencer."

"I'll take it."

Orin was really running low on caps now, but it was worth it since she got a new gun along with some bullets for it.  She also got a backpack from Kleo, complete with two gun holsters on either side.  She slid the rifle in one of those holsters, strapping it firmly to the bag so it wouldn't slip before heading back to the hotel to look through whatever ammo she had for .50 caliber bullets and laser cells.  When she had her meds and ammo organized about an hour later, she left the hotel with Radcliff to head out and do their job.

But when they stepped outside, it was raining.  It was the first time it happened since Orin came to the surface.  She looked up towards the sky at the dark clouds and let the rain come down on her.  Most people headed for shelter, but Orin found herself liking it.

"Let's go get 'em, Radcliff."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao I forget if Orin bought a bag yet so if there's a continuity error my bad


	11. Where You Belong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter in "A New Life, Above Ground" culminates with a mysterious radio call telling Orin there's another home for her, far away from the one that was taken from her.

Orin and Radcliff trekked through the rain, and by the time they found that Raider camp they were soaking wet.

The camp had tall walls made of junk and only one entrance they could go through without having to go around all the buildings.  There were turrets and spotlights along the wall as well as regular raiders walking around the perimeter.  These looked stronger than the ones at Pickman's, but Orin just had to think everything through and come up with a plan.

With her new rifle in hand, she decided to get some elevation to see everything better.  The two of them climbed one of the nearby buildings, Radcliff along the side and Orin up the fire escape.  There was a little cover from the rain at the top, so that's where they took shelter.  Radcliff was anxious to go back down and lay it on those raiders, but Orin told him to wait.  There were too many, and she didn't want him to get hurt.  She'd let him do his thing when she got rid of all the scary ones.

After loading the rifle with the first magazine, she lied down on the cement with one leg propped up so her breathing wouldn't affect her.  She took a deep breath and looked through the night-vision scope at the camp below.  She would pick off the outside first, but leave the turrets and spotlight until the last minute.

Taking aim at the first raider, she held her breath for a second to steady the rifle.  And she pulled the trigger.

With a muffled yet still loud shot, the Raider fell down in a pool of blood with a hole in his head.  If the silencer didn't keep the noise down, the sound of the rain did.  She waited for a moment, waiting for any commotion to happen below.  But nothing happened.  So she took her aim again at another one near the gate, quickly picking him off and continuing with a few more before she had to reload.  She took down all that she could after she reloaded, and figured she got rid of enough to just go in, guns blazing at what group was left in the little cluster of huts in the middle.

"Alright, Radcliff."  She tucked her rifle into her bag, this time pulling out her laser rifle.  She clicked her tongue, smiling after.  "Do your thing."

He scurried away and Orin quickly went down the fire escape, trying to keep up.  But Radcliff was doing most of the scaring as he scurried in, making those terrifying clicking and screeching sounds.

She followed him in, going straight for the middle and shooting at whatever moved.

There was one raider left in the huts, in heavy armor but missing pants.  He had managed to sleep through this whole ordeal.  Orin rolled her eyes and told Radcliff to stay put while she went to go wake him up.

"Hey, mate."  She said, poking his face with the end of her rifle.

"What the FUCK did I say about waking me up?!"  He shouted, about to sit up.  But his forehead came straight into contact with the cold barrel of Orin's rifle.

"Oh, sorry.  I killed everybody before I could ask them."  She said, pushing her rifle so he lied back down.

"Who the fuck are you?"  He growled.

"The last person you see."

With a single gunshot, Orin sent a bullet through the raider's head, splattering brains and blood all over the floor.  She let Radcliff explore the place and continued to loot every nook and cranny of the hideout.  Tons of drugs and caps were lying around in the open, as well as ammo and stimpaks.

When she got to one side of the hut, she heard the soft sound of radio static.  She followed the sound and was led to a little space behind the wooden walls of the hut, where an orange radio and speaker sat on a pile of rocks.  Orin had seen these before; there were a few of these radios in the Institute, but mostly used to communicate with agents on the surface.

Sitting down in front of the radio, Orin played with the knobs and switches on the radio.  The sound of the static changed as she scanned the airwaves, but nothing really came through.  Until she tuned to one frequency.

"This is Acadia, at Far Harbor.  Is there anyone there?  Respond."

Orin was surprised to hear another voice, but even more surprised to hear of a place called "Far Harbor."  She had never really thought about anything beyond the Commonwealth.

"I repeat, is there anybody there?  Respond."

Orin pressed the reply button on the speaker.

"Where is Far Harbor?"  She asked.

There was a pause before the man on the other side of the radio responded.

"Far Harbor is an island to the north of the Commonwealth... Are you part of the Brotherhood of Steel?"

"No."  Orin quickly said.

"Can I ask what your designation was?"

Orin was taken aback at the question.  Designation?  That kind of question was only asked at the Institute.

"Are you part of the Institute?"  She asked, sounding a little more angry than she had wanted to sound.

"No.  We are exactly the opposite.  We are a sanctuary."  The man said.  "At Acadia, you are safe from the Institute and its Coursers.  We synths, led by DiMA, live together and protect each other from the world around us, the people who don't accept us.  Even if you don't know if you are a synth, we will accept you as one of us.  Acadia is a place of safety."

Orin knew this was a little sketchy, and didn't really trust the man on the other side of the radio.

"Let me speak to your leader."  She finally said.

"I'm sorry, I can't really-"

"My designation is 0R-1N."  Orin said quickly.  She hadn't said that in a long time.  "Let me speak to your leader."

Suddenly, a different voice came on.  It was another man, but calm and almost tired-sounding.

"I am DiMA."  He said.  "What kind of questions do you have?"

"How do I know you aren't a part of the Institute?"  Orin asked quickly.

"Acaida is a sanctuary to protect synths and those who think they are synths from the very demon that is the Institute."  He said.  "When the Railroad collapsed, we stepped in to become a safe place for synths to gather and create their own society.  I heard your designation is 0R-1N.  May I ask what your name is?"

"Orin."

"Orin.  It is very nice to meet you."  DiMA said.  "I would like you to come and visit Acadia, and see if this is the place you'd like to live at.  I will send a representative to meet with you.  You are in the Commonwealth, yes?  The representative will meet you at the Salem Ruins, in the north, in two weeks time."

"How do I know I can trust you?"  Orin asked.

"You don't."  DiMA said.  "But I hope to gain it when you come to meet us."

Orin walked away from the radio and called Radcliff to head back to Goodneighbor.  The sky had cleared but the ground was still wet.  So many thoughts were going through her head.  Was there really another place she could call home?  Where really was Far Harbor?  Could it be any better than the Commonwealth?

When she got back, she dropped her stuff and Radcliff off in a room at the Hotel Rexford with food and headed for the Third Rail.  A drink would be nice.  She took a seat at the bar, and Charlie immediately came up to her.

"Sources told me you got the job done."  He said, sliding Orin a glass of vodka and a tin of caps.  "Everyone appreciates it.  It's on the house."

"Oh, thanks Charlie."  Orin said, smiling brightly.  "Let me know if you've got any more jobs."

Orin spent several hours at the Third Rail before heading back to the Rexford and going to sleep.  So much was on her mind.

What was she going to do?

* * *

 It was the day before Orin was to meet the Far Harbor representative.

She had been catching rides with caravans for the past week, heading to the north where the ruins of Salem were.  The caravans decided to drop her off at the old Salem Witch Museum, where periodically ominous sounds came out of the top floors.  She was wandering around with Radcliff for a little while before she saw a hooded figure in the distance.  She reached for her rifle and signaled for Radcliff to stay close with a few clicks of her tongue, just in case this hooded figure decided to do something unsavory.

"Are you Orin?"

The voice sounded familiar as the figure approached her.

"If I am?"

"We finally meet."

Metal, endoskeleton hands pulled the hood away.  Orin was shocked at what she saw.

"I am DiMA."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry guys, it'll continue :) Be on the lookout!


End file.
